Elvis Rocks Lincoln

Released: 2004/06

Live, Lincoln, NY, 1977/06/20

Content

One of Elvis’ last performances released as audience recording.

Design

The three panel digi pack looks o.k.. The cut outs of Elvis look a bit “cut out”, but there is not a lot of good (looking) material to work with. The image of the Lisa Mary taking off behind the CD is a nice one, don’t see that too often. The font size and color on the back are a bit hard to read, and why center it? A straight presentation makes it more readable.

Content

This previously unreleased performance by Elvis from the June 20, 1977 evening show isn’t one that stands out with the best, but listening to this performance trying not to let the images from the CBS tapes cloud our judgment too much, this concert is audible.

Even though everyone knew by then that Elvis wasn’t as his best, the reaction from the audience as he entered the stage is still overwhelming, so is the fun Elvis and the audience seem to have between them.

The voice is still there, unfortunately the voices of the people who recorded it too, they keep on babbling through out the whole recording. Fortunately Elvis still has the lead, bellowing it out on “If You Love Me Let Me Know (or else buzz off)”, “Help Me”, and of course “Unchained Melody” (unfortunately not making the end, like we know from the sad images of Elvis helped by Charlie Hodge in the CBS Special) and “Hurt” (and yes, it can hurt listening to some of these recordings). With “Hound Dog”, starting promising, but ending in a repeated chorus, and ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love” Elvis ends this concert.

The recording is an audience recording, and seems to be taken from a vinyl source regarding the ticks (although the producers call them digital clicks), the producers apologize for that. The audio quality is much better then the average audience recording.

Conclusion

As with many audience recordings, it is up to you to decide if you want to listen to it. But knowing this is a recording from the last tour (and just over a month before he died) it is a nice addition to any collection.